a1555: Re: Hemisphere Highlights from the CSIS Americas Program (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Stanley Lucas <slucas@iri.org>

HAITI
President Jean-Betrand Aristide named Yvon Neptune as new prime minister in Haiti this month. Neptune has stated that one of his top priorities will be to reopen the dialogue with the opposition on the nearly two-year-old political impasse. The main opposition groups of the Democratic Convergence have questioned Neptune's true intentions because of his closeness to Aristide and his vocal criticism of, not to mention his support of violence against, the opposition. Several sectors in Haiti consider Neptune's appointment as a move against real negotiations or political compromise. Meanwhile, the OAS is attempting to piece together a more permanent presence in Haiti, the result of formal resolutions by that body in January, and continuing negotiations with the Aristide government since then. Also, the U.S. State Department issued its annual human rights report on Haiti, citing continuing government abuses, extra-judicial killings by police, and the lack of progress in high-profile murders of Haitian journalists. Members of the Haitian press met with Governor Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) this month to discuss the current political situation, the difficulties of the press, and development. The political mire in Haiti, with its complex layers of political impasse, kidnappings, repression, a new government, a continued stream of Haitian refugees, the upcoming Florida gubernatorial race, and an OAS mission striving to restore democratic order will begin to heat up over the next several months. This stalemate will add to the pressures on the Haitian government, and increase the finger pointing as to who is responsible for Haiti's predicament. At stake is some $500 million in international assistance blocked since 2000 in the wake of fraudulent elections. Amy Coughenour